I recently had a lesson on a mechanical horse and not only did I have a great time but I also learnt a lot!
So let me share with you what I learnt and why you should also have a lesson on a mechanical horse:
Improve your position to reduce the impact on your horse- Knowing where your own imbalances are and being able to work on the mechanical horse that moves consistently can help you learn how to become more balanced. If you are more balanced and can move with your horse as much as possible then you will be able to get out of their way. Meaning that your horse can move freely which in turn reduces the stress on your horse's back. Back pain is the most common finding in my equine physio sessions and it is so often caused by rider or saddle imbalances. Working on your imbalances when apart from your horse can mean that when you two get back together you have a more productive session and the risk of injury is reduced.
Reduced back pain in your horse- As mentioned above, sorting your own balance can in turn reduce back pain in your horse. A mechanical horse is also a good reminder to us of how each gait should feel in terms of beats (hoof falls) so can be a good gauge of if your horse's rhythm has changed- indicating a problem may be starting.
Learn how you affect your horses movements- If you have a lesson on a mechanical horse you can also ask your instructor how your specific riding style, body type and any imbalances can affect how your horse moves too. Do you stop full shoulder movement from having your leg too far forward? Are you sat to one side unbalancing your horse?
Improve your aids- A mechanical horse will only respond to aids given in a very specific, accurate way, this can be good to ensure you are not giving inaccurate aids. Practicing giving aids correctly on the mechanical horse can ensure you are training your horse to respond to the correct aids, this is especially important in young horse's.
Improve your fitness- Having time on a mechanical horse can be a great way to keep fit and improve your strength. The mechanical horse can keep going forever and never gets tired so it’s perfect for those wanting to use riding as a fitness activity.
Get back into riding- A mechanical horse is a great step back into riding too especially after injury to assess your own ability or if your horse is out and you want to maintain your riding during your horse's break.
Get more miles in- Want to ride more than your horse is able? Perhaps they’re semi retired or just coming back into work. A mechanical horse could be used to bridge the gap between the amount your horse can do and the amount of riding you’d like to do.
Learn something new- Riding a mechanical horse is a little different to a real horse so that in itself is something new but you can also get mechanical horse's that can jump and perform dressage moves your horse can only dream of, so they’re perfect for learning something new to take home too.
Have I convinced you to give it a try? I can highly recommend Liana Upton at Ravenroyd equestrian (https://www.riding-simulator.co.uk/simulator-seat-training) in Bingley for those in West Yorkshire.
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